Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-10-27
SET IN DIAMONDS.
Pv Charlotte NJ. Braeme.

punish any one; but we wish TO know
the simple truth. { may be that the
lockct and chain were stolen by some
one then and aftprward sold. I may
be that it was sold afterward, bought
by some one, and presented to you.
ell us the truth about il. / pledge
my word that nothing shall come OF
anything you may say. You fear to
trust us, perhaps, lest we should, find
ing out the theft, try To punish the
tn eff We should not We are quite
content; but we long to know the truth.
Ever, thing that you say shall be sa-
cred. "
Mrs. Grey folded her hands n eekly.
IL have nothing to say" she replied
"Yon must think of me as you will. "
"You refuse to tell me how the locket
came into your hands?" she asked.
II must refuse" said Mrs. Grey.
You will not tell me why you plead
guilty and never made any effort to
save yourselfp"
II can not tell you or would" was
the answer.
You will not tell me either, why
you cherished this portrait why you
hid it away and betrayed such violent
emotion when it was iound?'
81 can not" was the half-whispered
answer
The duchess smiled again.
Suppose" she said, Il know-that
although you refuse to tell me, i guess
the mysteryp"
at could not be" replied Mrs. Grey.
but it is, said the duchess. 'You
have kept your secret well, bM knoW
Uho goa a'e"
Even she was frightened at the ex-
preston of Mrs. Grey's face She
drew back from her slowly, repeating
with VIII te, quiz ering lips the words:
"You know who ! amp"
"Yes " said the duchess. "You came
to Clavering disguised. l understand
the reason, and understand the mys
terry"
1t was dreadful, CHASTITY terror that
came over Mrs. Grey's face terror so
acute and painful that the duchess in
turn shrunk from her.
MY dear mother" she said, ''had a
maid, an this maids name was Ph9 be
Askern. On the fatal evening, when
my mother went to London, that maid
disappeared. Whether she went with
my mother and was killed, no one
knew. The general impression is that
she ran away, taking money and Jew
els with her. Do you think that is
truep'
Il how should | knowp" she an
swered; a crimson flush covering her
pale face.
H on are the very one person in the
whole world to know" said the duch-
eSs.
"I-why should YOU say thatP why
should know?"
Because, said the duchess, with an
other lie, laying her hands On the
,rembl ng hands of Mrs. Grey-"be-
cause, if my surmise be CORE t, you
are my mothers maid, Phoebe Askern
herself
II your mothers maid! Oh! no! a
thousand times nor cried Mrs. Grey
then she paused abruptly II she wish
ed to keeJ her cherished secret, would
not her best plan be silence?
a. on need not be afraid" said the
duel ess; if you are, and indeed l feel
sure YOU are Phoebe Askern, you have
nothing to fear; if YOU were indeed
strongly tempted, and did take any
thing that belonged to my mother, fol
her dear sake all shall be forgiven and
forgotten.
ii am not Phpbe Askern," said Mrs
Grey.
You may not be now; you a'e per-
haps Pnpbe Grey, but YOU were Phoebe
Askern once everything goes to prove
it. My father says that this poor
hpbe was a tall, fair woman, with
fair hair; evidently your hair is fair
but YOU darkened it when vol
came to Clavering. just as you
darkened your brows and youl
beaut full face. / might vel
be puzzled when l saw you. For my
mothers sake, tell me the truth
"Give me time to think" she cried
my brain is on IRE
The duchess of Meath will never for
get the half graceful and half-despair
ing gesture with which she turned t,
the wall and laid her face against it
Time to think yet how could sh,
think with her heart on fire and he1
brain whirling; how could she thinl
calmly with that beautiful face watch
ing her so eagerly
You need ha e no fear in telling mt
the truth. Il you are indeed Phoebe
Askern, no mat err what you may hav,
| done, for ny dear mothers sake, Vol
shall be forgiven, and taken care OF Sc
long as you live. will see to that my
self When those dreary five years
are ended, l will find you quiet pleas
ant home, and be kind to you as Ions
as you live; but tell me the truth; re
lieve my suspense and anxiety. ] cauno
tell you what relief it would be to m,
if you would speak frankly
and trust me | would not owl
this to every one, b t l hav,
a strange idea that the spirit of m,
mother is unquiet and lowering round
me. | dream of her all night, and
think OF her all day. 1t seems to m,
as though she haunted me, and urgeC
me TO have this mystery explained
Slowly the white face was raised ant
turned to her; there was such fear sucl
wonder, such reverence in the eye
that Darcy Este bad said were like we
iolets, that the duchess was silenced
She spoke slowly also, this unhapp,
lady who was known as number forty
four.
IL have thought" she said, as clear
~ as my dazed brain will allow me Il
think, and the result must be silence
eternal silence | can say no more.
can not tell you whether ] am PhGb'
Askern or not. can neither affirm o.
deny. Let me-" she cried passionately
"let me pass from your life. Let m,
60 out into the shadows and be forgot
ten. The greatest kindness tina
you can do or me is to go away ant